


Avatar: A Burning Sidestory

by SpacedBagelx



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 22:04:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21125990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpacedBagelx/pseuds/SpacedBagelx
Summary: Tálin has lived a peaceful life with her parents in the Earthkingdom, despite the ongoing war with the Fire-nation. But when one day she is sent to the market, her simple life changes forever and reveals the lies hidden beneath everything she’s ever known. Including her connection to a certain hotheaded young man.





	Avatar: A Burning Sidestory

"Télin, could you please give your mother a hand?!" 

"Papa, could you please give your wife a hand?!"

With my eyes closed, I lay chuckling on the bright yellow hay. The dry season had just begun so there was plenty to go around, especially in the small attic of our home.

"Télin!"  
My father roared, and I shook my head as I got up. Imitating him never had been the best option.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."  
I opened the hatch and slid down the ladder in one swift movement, landing safely on my feet.  
"Where is she?"

"Ostrich horses!"

I made my way through the hall, pausing as I looked into the kitchen. We had a reasonably large farm, but business had been declining every day. I knew father felt like it was his duty to put food on the table every night, but he would never admit that we were starving. 

"Télin!"  
This time, mama's voice screeched through the thin walls. I bid the odd thoughts in my head farewell and rushed through outside, towards the gates in which we kept our last sources of income.  
"If you do not come down here this instant-"

"I'm here, mama, I'm here!"

The brunette spared only a single glance at me but visibly sighed in relief. Her hands were wrapped around the restraint of one of our ostrich horses, and the gray hairs showing on her head did not seem to affect her strength the slightest.

"The egg! Dear, I need you to carefully grasp it from between it's legs, and do not drop it. If the shell breaks it will be worthless!"

I did as she said, inching closer to the animal until I stood right against the gates. I bent down, my hands practically floating above the fragile thing. 

"Tálin!"

"I got it, calm down."  
Barely a second passes as I fetched the brown egg from underneath the ostrich horse, now holding it as far away from me as possible.  
"It smells... And it's still warm. Ugh."

"Hurry up inside and put it in the basket with the others."  
My mother had let go of the animal, climbing over the fence with, what seemed to me, a lot more difficulty than needed. I nodded at her and sprinted off.  
"And be careful!"

I knew tomorrow it was my turn. Every month one of us left home for a few days to sell what we could, and since my father had only been back for twenty days the weight was on my shoulders. I'd turned sixteen this year, and this would be my third time. 

I pushed the door open with my shoulder and searched for the basket. I could count at least eight similar eggs, but I was sure my dad kept more of them somewhere in the basement. Fire-nation raids were regular, and that way we wouldn’t lose everything; even if dark, cold spaces were not ideal to keep ostrich horse eggs. 

The door opened behind me.

“What’s for dinner?”

“The leftovers from yesterday. We still have some soup, too.”  
I knew my mother’s footsteps like I knew my own mind.

“Boo.”

“Young lady, unless you have a better idea and a few coins to spare you’ll be eating soup until both your father and I leave this world.”  
Her finger was pointed right at my face as she searched for something, not even looking at me as she ranted. 

“Honey”,  
My father suddenly appeared.  
“Don’t speak like that.”

“I’m already going to the market tomorrow? I know some kids in town who are my age and don’t even do the dishes.”  
I retorted, my hands on my hips. 

“Yes, because you are the perfect icon of teenage assistance in households like ours.”

“Ladies, ladies!”  
My father had now grabbed my mother by the waist, her face still looking like she was about to throw something across the room.  
“I love you both equally. Now quit bickering and get dinner ready.”

“Get your own dinner ready!”

He again laughed at our reaction, and I almost had to remind myself of the stubborn old man he usually turned into these days.  
“Mae-Na, take a break dear. Tálin and I will handle the food.”

“Alright. But let our daughter handle the salt, please.”  
She disappeared through the door dad entered through and my father patted me on my shoulder. We both knew she had been under more stress than usual lately, but then again we all had been. 

“We’re so proud of you. Although we can appear pushy, we just want what is best for you. Do not ever forget that.”

I smiled.  
“I know, papa. I love you both, too.”

“Good.”  
He gave me a sideways hug before turning back to one of the pots before him.  
“Now let’s make your mother some soup before she puts both our heads on a stick.”


End file.
